


How not to make a grilled cheese: A recipe with suggestions for improvement by ER Bittle, baker and cooking enthusiast

by AwkwardTiming



Series: How not to... [2]
Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Cooking, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-08
Updated: 2018-05-08
Packaged: 2019-05-03 20:51:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14577411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwkwardTiming/pseuds/AwkwardTiming
Summary: So how, exactly, did Bitty end up staying the night at Jack's?(follows part 1. Probably readable without.)





	How not to make a grilled cheese: A recipe with suggestions for improvement by ER Bittle, baker and cooking enthusiast

Bitty wasn’t thinking when he popped out to go to the restroom and then let himself be pulled into a discussion on the benefits of frozen versus cold butter and ice water versus water with a bit of vodka for pie crusts, but he certainly regretted that oversight when he got close to the table where he and Jack were and saw James in an animated conversation with Jack. _Oh good Lord. Can’t that boy leave well enough alone?_ he thought as he made his way quickly to the table.

As he got closer, he heard what it was that James had taken up as a subject. “It’s just like. Has he done that thing to you?”

“Uh. What…thing?” Jack replied carefully.

“The thing where you’ll make a perfectly normal dinner and he’ll critique every part of it. Like, is there really a wrong way to make a grilled cheese?” James flung out his arm to make his point, splashing a bit of his drink over the rim of his glass.

“I don’t know that we’ve ever really had a discussion about grilled cheese,” Jack had a slight frown on his face and tilted his head in confusion. He was focused enough on James that he had not yet realized that Bitty was standing there.

“The grilled cheese isn’t the food. I mean the point. It’s not the grilled cheese. It’s just that he’s got to, like, correct everything. Everything food related is always better his way.”

“Well, he does get paid to cook, so, I suspect he does, you know, have good ideas on how best to make things.”

“But it’s like a fucking grilled cheese. And it’s just. I really miss him and he’s apparently moved on, which, you know, whatever. Who needs him? But I hate coming to these things alone and my family loved him and like. Couldn’t he have just let me make the grilled cheese my way?”

Bitty decided Jack had been through enough and put his hand on James’s shoulder. “James, I think your mama’s looking for you. Why don’t you head on back to your table for dessert, huh?”

“Might as well,” James replied, standing. “Then I won’t have to listen to you talk about how whatever it is could be better if they’d just add more butter.”

“Yup. It’s all about the butter. Bye now. You have a good rest of your night.”

Once James was out of earshot, Bitty looked back to Jack, “I am so sorry about that. I didn’t think he’d seek you out!”

“It’s alright. Everything ok?”

“What? Oh! Yeah, sorry about that. I got into a discussion on pie crust.” Bitty shook his head ruefully. “My own fault. And it sort of proves his point, I guess.” He shrugged. “Anyway, you were telling me about visiting the cemetery in Normandy and the museum there?”

Jack smiled and went back to talking about what he’d seen and done during the summer research trip he’d taken, showing Bitty the handful of pictures he had on his phone with a promise to, “show you the better ones the next time I’m at the café. They’re on my laptop.” Bitty asked about other things Jack had photographed. Jack returned the favor, asking about Bitty’s non-baking hobbies.

“Well, mostly any more, aside from running so that I don’t end up looking like Cousin Tiny, who is not tiny whatsoever, mostly I film things for my vlog. Which, I guess, is still kind of baking, but it’s also just regular cooking and recipe adaptations, and talking about flavors that work together and how to get the most out of cheaper ingredients.”

“That sounds really useful,” Jack replied, genuinely impressed.

Bitty shrugged, “I hope it is, at least to some people. I know I can get, you know, a little obsessive about things and it has been a good outlet for those ideas.”

“So, is there a right way to make a grilled cheese,” Jack asked, making an effort to keep his face almost blank.

It was worth it for the way Bitty glared up at him for a moment before realizing the twinkling in Jack’s eyes indicated he was teasing. “Well, there are a thousand and one right ways, but his wasn’t one of them. Sticking bread in a toaster and putting a piece of cheese between two slices of toast sure isn’t it.”

Jack cleared his throat, “I’ll be completely honest, I think the only grilled cheese I’ve had is the one Shitty makes when he’s high.”

Bitty’s eyes narrowed, “And how is that?”

“I don’t think you’re going to like it any better than the toaster method.”

“Jack…how does Shitty make a grilled cheese?”

“In the microwave?”

Bitty stared at Jack for a full minute before throwing his head back laughing. “Oh you must be joking.”

Jack shook his head, which sobered Bitty thoroughly. “Nope. I let him convince me to try it, once, and haven’t had another since.”

“But… What about when you were growing up?”

“My dad does most of the cooking at home and that’s not something that was really in his diet while I was younger.”

“This is tragic. Ok. Do you have bread and cheese at home?”

“What?”

“Dinner was terrible and you’re clearly not eating that sad excuse for a cheesecake. Invite me back and I’m going to make you the best grilled cheese you’ll ever have.”

“Oh. Uh. I should have bread, yes. Does it matter what kind of cheese?”

“What do you have?”

“As far as I know, cheddar, swiss, provolone, parmesan, and maybe one other one – no idea what the name was. The first four are ones I usually have around for sandwiches, but Lardo and Shitty were over and Lardo wanted to be, ahem, fancy, so we were drinking wine and eating cheese. I think there was part of one of the cheeses left at the end of the evening.”

“Your friends have some odd names, sugar.”

Jack nodded, then shrugged. “Anyway, if that will work, yes, I have bread and cheese. And I’d be happy to invite you back so you can show me how to make a grilled cheese.”

Once back at Jack’s, Bitty stripped off his jacket, bowtie, and dress shirt. Then, in his slacks and undershirt, set about pulling things out of Jack’s refrigerator. The bread and two of the cheeses – cheddar and provolone, Jack saw, when he looked – followed by tomatoes, a jar of apple butter he’d forgotten about, some leftover roast chicken Jack had picked up from the store, a jar of salsa, and a package of bacon.

Bemused, Jack settled himself on the other side of the counter and watched Bitty make himself at home in Jack’s kitchen, quickly finding a frying pan, spatula, and knife. He was turning in circles, clearly looking for something, when Jack gave in.

“What are you looking for?” Jack asked.

“Butter?” Bitty said.

“Ah. I don’t really use butter.”

Bitty narrowed his eyes. “You don’t use butter?”

“No. I mean, mostly I use olive oil as the fat when I cook. I don’t object to butter, but don’t usually have it on hand.”

Bitty frowned slightly, then nodded. “I can make that work. Where is your oil, then?”

Jack pointed to a row of bottles lined up at the edge of the counter. “They’re there. The labels should tell you what types.”

Bitty browsed through the bottles and pulled two back over to where the rest of his ingredients were lined up – a plain one from Spain and one from France that was a little sweeter, but also infused with garlic.

Bitty, taking stock of what he’d found, was startled a bit when Jack said, “So are you going to walk me through what you’re making or am I just here to enjoy the fruits of your labor.”

“Oh. Right. OK. So there are a couple things about grilled cheese. It’s related to paninis in Italy or, I guess in a way, quesadillas. They’re usually make in a skillet. If you’ve gotta make a lot of them, you can bake them and get a similar effect, but the outside should be crispy and the inside should be soft. It’s um. You’ve had a croque monsieur, right?”

“Oh, yes. Of course.”

“It’s kind of like that, but also really not? Anyway. A basic grilled cheese is just, you know, bread and cheese.” Bitty indicated the two things and smiled a bit to himself to see the way Jack nodded, clearly following along. “It can be any cheese that melts. Parmesan isn’t great, because it doesn’t really have enough fat to get melty. Same would be true for any hard cheese or, honestly, a super aged cheddar. On the other hand, if the cheese is too soft and you just use that, you end up with a mess on your hands. It can be tasty, of course, but really hard to eat.”

“And the rest of what you pulled out?”

Bitty glanced at the rest of the pile, “Well, you can add other stuff to your grilled cheese. I don’t, usually, because if I want a grilled cheese I just want cheese and bread. Nice and simple. But, since I was meant to be showing you how to do this, I thought I’d give you the option of other stuff?” Bitty hesitated. He wondered if he was overstuffing.

“Let’s go classic. I’m a simple guy,” Jack said, smiling.

Bitty could feel the answering grin that lit his own face. “Right. Then give me just a tick to shove this all back in your fridge – well, not shove. It’s really well organized. I’ll be careful.” Bitty knew he’d flushed a bit, and hurried to hide it by putting things away, including the garlic infused oil.

Once Bitty had turned back around, Jack asked, “So why cheddar and provolone? Swiss melts pretty well.”

Bitty nodded, “It does, especially emmenthaler, which is what you have. If you want, I can make yours with it? I just don’t really like it with provolone or cheddar myself.”

Jack shook his head, “No, I trust you.”

Bitty gave him an arch look, “Do you now?”

Jack licked his lips – and wasn’t that just something, “Implicitly.”

Bitty cleared his throat and forced himself to look down at the counter. “Well, then.” He pulled himself ruthlessly back to the task at hand, forcing his attention away from Jack’s lips. And eyes. And hands, where they were folded on the opposite side of the counter. “Well. Usually I’d use butter for this. The kind you keep in a dish on the counter, so it’s not so hard and it’ll spread really nicely on the bread. You only butter once side of each piece of bread. Do not listen to anyone who tells you otherwise. Since you don’t have butter, I’m just going to spread a little of this olive oil on the same way I would with butter, but you gotta work a little quicker, because it mostly just soaks in.”

Jack nodded when Bitty glanced up from what he was doing. “That makes sense. Does it matter whether it’s salted or unsalted butter?”

“Salted butter is an abomination. You want salt, add it yourself.” Bitty gave Jack a wry smile. “At least you’ve been warned I have opinions. Anyway, especially with a grilled cheese, you’re gonna get enough salt, so unsalted is better.”

Jack just smiled. “So what happens after you butter the bread?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Bitty replied without thinking, sending a blatantly flirty smile Jack’s way.

Jack smirked back, “Yes, actually.”

Bitty stuck his tongue out. “There are lots of thoughts on this, but honest to goodness, I think the best result comes from lower heat for a longer time and starting off with a cold pan. You’ll start with the first piece – or pieces if you’re making more than one sandwich – butter or oiled side down on the cold pan.” Bitty matched actions to his words. “Then you add your cheese. You can do just one kind,” Bitty looked to Jack to see if he had a preference. When Jack shrugged, he continued, “But I really like the way provolone and cheddar go together, so I was pretty excited when you said you had both.”

Bitty carefully layered the cheese, added the second piece of bread, and turned the stove on to medium low, then turned around to face Jack again. “And now we wait.”

“What are we waiting for?”

Bitty considered the question for a moment. “Two things – the bread to get crispy on the side that’s down and the cheese to melt just enough to keep it all together when we flip them. That’s actually why I like starting with a cold pan and keeping the heat lower. You can get a crispier sandwich faster if you have higher heat, but then sometimes the cheese won’t melt or you’ll end up with burnt bread and that just ruins the whole thing.”

Jack was smiling at him and Bitty had a moment of thinking he’d done something wrong, though there was nothing particularly mean in Jack’s smile.

“What?” he asked, hoping he didn’t sound petulant.

“Nothing,” Jack assured him. “You’re passionate about it. I like it.”

“About grilled cheese?”

“No, not really. I mean, I guess I’m extrapolating, but it matters to you. Food or, hm. Cooking? But also feeding people, at a guess. Whether you’re doing it personally or showing them how to do it for themselves. I bet your videos are great.”

Bitty felt himself flush bright red. “Well. Don’t you know how to get on a boy’s good side.” Bitty sniffed and turned around. “Come on over here.”

He heard Jack moved and showed him what he had suspected once Jack was at his side.

“See how the bread doesn’t pull apart anymore?” Bitty used the edge of the spatula to push up a bit on the top piece of bread. When Jack nodded, he said, “That’s how you know the cheese has melted. Usually, especially at this temperature, you can count on the other side of the bread being about read, but, if you want to check, you should also be good at this point to just lift the bottom corner up a bit and check.” He lifted and checked then waited for Jack to take a look as well. He flipped the first one, then handed the spatula off to Jack. “Your turn.”

“If I make a mess of this, can I have yours?” Jack said as he took it.

Bitty burst into delighted giggles, resting his hand on Jack’s arm and watching as Jack quickly flipped the second sandwich.

“Well you did that like a pro, sugar,” Bitty said, taking the spatula back. “Wanna get us a couple plates?”

Jack nodded and grabbed plates from one of the overhead cabinets. “Do you want something to drink? Water? I probably have a couple of beers and some fizzy water, too.”

“Water sounds good, honestly. I think I drank enough at the dinner.”

Jack set the plates on the counter next to the stove and Bitty could hear him moving around filled two glasses and setting them – Bitty assumed – on the other side of the counter where there were stools.

“The second side won’t take as long, cuz the pans already hot, so you’ve gotta watch that side a little more closely.” Bitty peered under the sandwiches again and quickly pulled them off the pan and put them on the plates Jack had pulled out. Jack had moved back around to the other side of the counter and was sitting again. Bitty smiled and slid one plate in front of him, set his own at the other spot, and made his way around.

“Well, go on, eat,” he said, once he was settled.

Jack raised his eyebrows, then picked up the sandwich and took a bite. Bitty watched him while he took a bite of his own sandwich. Jack chewed carefully, then set the sandwich back down, turning to face Bitty fully. Hesitantly, Bitty set his own sandwich down and raised an eyebrow in question.

After a moment, Jack began carefully and Bitty could feel himself tense. “Your ex is an idiot. Clearly you know how to make a superior grilled cheese.”

Bitty was so surprised he snorted out a laugh. “That wasn’t what I thought you were going to say.”

Jack smiled, pleased with himself. “I could tell.” He took another bite. “This is really, really good though. I’m almost sorry that my first introduction to grilled cheese was Shitty’s version.”

“Almost sorry?”

“Well, I know how bad it can be, so I can thoroughly appreciate just how much better this is.”

Bitty just shook his head. They chatted while they ate and when they were done, they washed the dishes and moved to the couch, still comfortably chatting. Bitty hadn’t expected his fake date to turn into something that certainly felt like a real date and while Jack was talking about his options for pursuing his PhD, Bitty was daydreaming about it being a real date and wondering if that might mean he could get a kiss at the end of the night.

He’d been surprised when Jack had volunteered to be his date to the dinner. He’d noticed Jack. Of course he had. Jack was gorgeous and clearly smart, but also nice. Maybe a little shy. And Bitty had tried to flirt with Jack, or at least be extra nice, but he couldn’t tell if Jack was interested at all – if he was awkward because Bitty’s flirting made him uncomfortable or if he was just awkward.

Jack nudged Bitty’s knee with his own to get Bitty’s attention. “Am I boring you?”

Bitty flushed. “No. Sorry, just got lost in my own thoughts for a minute. When will you have to make a decision?”

Jack shrugged. “If I was determined to start in the fall, soon. But I’ll probably take a year off at least. I’m not really in a rush, you know? There are a couple of other things I’m considering doing first, too, so it just depends on how those shake out.”

Bitty smiled. “Sounds real nice.” At that, Jack cleared his throat and Bitty realized how late it had gotten and started to say, “I should probably head home.”

Only to realized that what Jack had said was, “Would you want to stay?”

“What?” Bitty said.

“Oh,” Jack replied. “Of course. Right. It’s, um. Late.”

“You want me to stay?” Bitty asked.

“Well, yes. But not if you’d rather not.”

“Stay like sleep on the couch? Because it’s late?”

“Sure, if you’d rather. I guess. I mean, what I was trying to ask is if I could kiss you and if you’d maybe want to stay. For more kissing. Or whatever.”

Bitty felt his lips twitch. “What might be included in that ‘whatever’?”

“I thought you might have opinions on how to scramble eggs that you might want to share in the morning.”

After a beat, they both started laughing. As their laughter slowed, Jack leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to Bitty’s lips.

When he pulled away, Bitty moved closer. “I think you can do better than that, Jack.”

Jack took that as all the encouragement he needed and Bitty was delighted when Jack pulled him even closer, then kissed him again, firmer this time, and with something like intent.

By the time Bitty was in Jack’s lap, grinding down, Bitty’s undershirt had been tossed somewhere and Jack’s was hanging half-off, forgotten on one shoulder.

Bitty pulled back, “Not to invite myself, but if we move this to a bed, I can do a much better job.”

Jack panted up at him, “Better job?”

Bitty let his smile turn as suggestive as he could, “I’ve been told I’m really good with my mouth.”

Jack regarded him for a moment, then in a move Bitty could not have suspected to be the result of suggesting they take things to Jack’s bed, stood, his hands under Bitty’s thighs, and made his way down the short hall.

He set Bitty on the edge of the bed and stepped back. Bitty reached out, snagging Jack by the waistband of his pants and went for the button. Jack’s hand came down to cover Bitty’s and Bitty started to jerk his hand back.

“Yours too, right?” Jack said.

Bitty looked up and grinned. “Sure thing.” He finished unbuttoning Jack’s pants, slid the zipper down, then eased them down until they fell, puddling at Jack’s feet. Bitty swallowed heavily. “Well. Aren’t you something?”

Jack huffed out a laugh, but Bitty couldn’t be bothered to look up, too taken by the sight of the man in front of him. The sweaters he favored did nothing for the body they were clearly hiding. Jack stepped forward and reached out to shift Bitty further onto the bed, then encouraged him to lay back. Bitty stared up at the ceiling, willing his racing heart calm as Jack removed his pants. Bitty heard a drawer open and close and then Jack was on the bed beside him.

Bitty rolled onto his side. “You wanna lay back?”

When Jack rolled onto his back and scooted further up on the bed, followed, reaching for one of the condoms Jack had pulled out. Jack was already hard – they both were – so Bitty rolled the condom on and looked up. Jack was watching him, hands twitching at his sides.

“You can touch me, just don’t pull my hair or push.” Jack nodded, so Bitty continued, “And let me know what you like.”

Bitty took Jack in hand and leaned down, first pressing an open-mouthed kiss to Jack’s hip. He felt Jack move and felt fingers comb gently through his hair. The first time he’d gone down on anyone, he’d been nervous but excited and gone too fast. As he ran his tongue up Jack’s length, he had the passing thought that if he’d been with Jack, he probably wouldn’t have felt the need to rush or be nervous. In this moment, everything just seemed right.

By the time he sank all the way down, letting himself enjoy the heft of Jack on his tongue, Jack’s hips were making abortive little movements. The hand Bitty had resting across Jack’s hips could feel every clench of muscles and it was all he could do not to rut himself silly on the sheets. Above him, Jack panted and every time Bitty glanced up, Jack was watching him.

Bitty was so wrapped up enjoying taking Jack apart that Jack’s climax took him by surprise. Suddenly Jack tensed under him, back bowing slightly. Bitty pulled off so he could watch Jack, stroking firmly and then more gently as the pulsing slowed. He stopped entirely when Jack twitched away, clearly oversensitive.

Jack relaxed back down to the bed, panting. After a moment, and without opening his eyes, he reached out toward Bitty. Bitty shift up, laying on his side next to Jack and giving in to the urge to press kisses along Jack’s jawline. He was still hard – how could he not be – but it had somehow taken a back seat to the urge to continue to touch Jack.

Jack looked over at Bitty and asked, “What do you want?”

“Lord, anything. But, maybe just a hand?”

Jack nodded and rolled onto his own side, then urged Bitty flat. “Just a moment.” Jack made quick work of his condom, then grabbed the lube he’d taken out earlier. He warmed it a bit in his hands, then slicked Bitty, sliding his hand from the base of his shaft and up and over the head, then back down. Bitty had seen the way Jack focused when he researched and there was something unreal about having that focus on him in this context. Bitty shift his legs wider, planting his feet slightly so that he could push up into Jack’s fist.

Without pausing, Jack moved between Bitty’s legs. As Bitty panted little ah-ah-ahs, Jack trailed the knuckle of his otherwise unoccupied hand up the inside of Bitty’s thigh to his perineum and rocked it slightly. That was all it took for Bitty to go off. Jack stroked him through it, then moved to the side grabbing tissues to wipe Bitty off. He dropped them into the trash can near his bed. Bitty’s eyes were closed when he looked back, so Jack turned his bedside light off and moved closer, tugging his sheet and blanket up over both of them.

Bitty cracked his eyes open as Jack made himself comfortable on his side next to where Bitty was still sprawled on his back. With a hand on Bitty’s stomach, he asked, “Ok?”

“Mmhm. Yeah.” Bitty sighed out.

As he drifted off, Jack wondered if he could convince Bitty to have a repeat in the morning. The thought made him smile.

**Author's Note:**

> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> So, yeah, that's how making a grilled cheese sandwich ended up with Jack Zimmermann having breakfast with his parents and his crush? one night stand? future husband?


End file.
